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1997 Lincoln Continental Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Serious

109 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.36 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious16E026000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads

damaged or broken brake disc may reduce a vehicle's braking power, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Bosch will instruct the owners how to have the affected brake pads replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2016. Owners may contact Bosch customer service at 1-888-715-3616.

Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598, Duralast MKD598, Stop Master ST598, UltraStop ULT598, UltraLife MX598 and MX765, BrakeBest MKD765, and Prostop Platinum PGD598. These brake pads, manufactured October 1, 2014, to October 31, 2015 are intended for use on 2001-2007 Ford Taurus, 2001-2005 Mercury Sable, 1995-1999 Ford Taurus SHO, 1995-2002 Lincoln Continental, and 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII vehicles. The brake pad shim may shift out of position causing the shim to contact the brake disc resulting in damage to the disc.

Serious96V166000

Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Gear Position Indication (Prndl)

UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET.

THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.

Complaint volume

109 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

5Crashes
3Fires
5Injuries
0Deaths

Across 109 complaints. Severity Index 0.36.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Visibility · Rearview Mir…11 · 10%Tires6 · 6%Vehicle Speed Control6 · 6%Power Train5 · 5%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…5 · 5%Suspension · Front5 · 5%Power Train · Automatic T…5 · 5%Steering · Linkages · Tie…3 · 3%
  1. Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Interior — 11 reports
  2. Tires — 6 reports
  3. Vehicle Speed Control — 6 reports
  4. Power Train — 5 reports
  5. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 5 reports
  6. Suspension:Front — 5 reports
  7. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 5 reports
  8. Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly — 3 reports
  9. Air Bags:Frontal — 3 reports
  10. Tires:Tread/Belt — 3 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (2) · 1996 (3) · 1997 · 1998 (2) · 1999 (3) · 2000 (4) · 2001 (2) · 2002 (1) · 2017 (4) · 2018 (2) · 2019 (3) · 2020 (2)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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